It's very interesting to see that sometimes, HOW we respond to voices, real or otherwise, can have different outcomes and consequences. Ignore them or not, act on them or resist and fight back to establish your own personal dominion and authority...here are a couple of great examples:The man with the ball and the steely look of determination is Brian Moore. A fierce competitor, he won just about everything possible in a great Rugby Union career and played at the very highest levels. Nowadays, Brian is more likely to be seen on TV, as a media commentator for big games and is also a popular public speaker, talking on subjects such as motivation and positivity. A modest and humble man away from the field, he helps support many good causes. However, one of the least known aspects of his life journey is this: Brian has been hearing critical voices in his head for many years. One in particular, he calls his "daemon" and it always ridicules and criticizes him. It tells him that is is unworthy of happiness and success and that he will fail. This voice appeared in response to a period in his own life story when he was subjected to various abusive experiences as a boy, a matter he has touched on in various recent interviews. He was faced with a choice: To believe this voice that sneers and laughs at him. Buy into its' predictions of personal failure. Or he could fight back. Use the negative comments he was hearing to drive himself forward to do always do better. To channel the burning anger he felt and turn it somehow into a source of strength. Could one get better than a Rugby field in which to facilitate that process and those dynamics? I doubt it! . Brian was determined to be a Victor over and not a Victim of his negative inner voice. He had a burning desire to show the inner critic he was wrong . How hard do you think in might be to strive for success in your life if a voice constantly tells you that you are useless, worthless and will not be able to do it? Would it make it harder? Or make us even more determined to success? That's precisely what Brian did and continues to do, even now. Hats off to him. hat can we say Let's talk about Zinadine Zidane. What can we say about "Zazou"? Once the most expensive footballer on the planet, supremely talented, rising up from a poor background and raised by hard working parents, Algerian emigrants , he went on to win almost everything possible, medals and trophies, awards and honours, fame and fortune. He captained his country and served as a shining example to millions around the planet of what might be possible: escape from poverty and attaining the very heights of personal achievement. Living on the tough streets of Marseilles meant being on the end of many racist taunts and abusive comments back then. There was a lot of hostility towards those from Algeria as France was involved in a serious military campaign there, trying to put down a civil insurrection and an independence movement. . "Go home" "You're not welcome here," a common refrain. Zidane escaped the oppressive heat by watching football on the family TV and hypnotized by the passion and excitement of the crowds. he knew, already, what he wanted to be. Fast forward a decade or so: having been a World Cup Winner with France and enthroned as a national treasure, Zidane had retired from International football. or so he thought. And then THIS HAPPENED: "It was the middle of the night. A voice came to me..It woke me up. I will not say who this voice was. It told me to call the national Team Manager and tell him I wanted to be back in the team. To get fit and lead France to another World Cup Trophy.. So this is what I did." Well...He got himself fit and back into the playing squad. He led "Les Blues" through a series of exciting games and on to yet another final and he scored some remarkable goals along the way, leading by example...The "Old" Zinadine Zidane was back in business it seemed and his prediction was about to come true. And so to the actual World Cup Final against Italy. All of France was expectant, many millions watching around the globe. And it was all going reasonably well until this happened: Mazerati, the Italian player , was very clever in this game. He took every opportunity to make abusive and cynical comments when he and Zidane were close to one another and little by little, Zidanes' patience was exhausted.
He reached a breaking point when Mazerati made crude comments about Zidanes' sister. Zidane is a Moslem and family pride and personal honour rank high with him. He paused, turned, lowered his head and charged into the defender who fell, as if shot by a gun, to the floor. The referee had no choice and Zazou was gone, sent off in what was to be his glorious swansong.. And France, reduced to 10 men could not stop Italy winning the title. Sometimes it is clearly better if we can ignore abusive voices, real or "imagined'!!
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July 2021
AuthorActivist/ Health worker/ 20 years. Specific interests : wellness/ voice hearing/ coping/ exploring/ sharing/ stigma reduction. |